Around 1.36 crore voters in West Bengal will be called for hearings as part of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference after the release of the draft electoral rolls, Agarwal said the state had completed the SIR exercise within the stipulated timeframe.

"Among the big states, we finished in time. Others have asked for more time," he said.

"Around 1 crore 36 lakh voters will be called for hearings, though this number may reduce. If someone cannot attend a hearing due to a genuine reason, it will certainly be considered," he said.

Agarwal said the names of these voters were flagged during the revision process. He added that some names had been removed from the draft rolls due to mismatches and procedural reasons.

"They will also be called, and there will be no difficulty," he said, adding that voters whose names do not appear in the draft rolls should submit Form 6 along with Annexure 4.

Booth-level officers have already started door-to-door visits to inform those who will be called for hearings, he said.

The chief electoral officer also sought greater delegation of powers in the state.

"In Bihar, the EROs were given the responsibility for disposals. We are asking that AEROs be given more powers," he said.

Agarwal acknowledged the role played by political parties in the revision process.

"Agents of political parties have helped us, and we are thanking them for their cooperation," he said.

He said complaints or information related to the draft rolls could be shared with the observers.

"Special camps have been opened, and BLA-BLO meetings have been held," he said.